Description

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT? What would happen in your town if every cell phone, computer, car engine, and battery stopped functioning because of a solar event--one that could actually happen on Earth tomorrow? From award-winning writer Rodman Philbrick comes a page-turning story that begins "on a night so cold you could sneeze icicles." Suddenly a blinding burst of light whites out the stars...and as darkness overwhelms America, the "big dark" puts a dramatic end to phones, hospitals, police, transportation, and safety. Will people join together to help one another? Or will people gather into violent groups, shoot to kill, and wipe out civilization? With his hometown spiraling into chaos, Charlie Cobb sets off on a perilous journey to save his mother's life. Stalked by wild animals and confronted by hostile, armed citizens, Charlie also encounters extraordinary warmth and generosity in the most unlikely places--proof of the sustaining power of love, family, and friendship even in the darkest times. What Critics Are Saying about The Big Dark: "A riveting, credible, and even inspiring vision of life just after the apocalypse." - Kirkus Reviews "Philbrick weaves an absorbing tale about the breakdown of contemporary civilization, the return to chaotic vigilante justice, and the strength of kindness and community." - Publishers Weekly "With a fast pace, pulse-pounding premise, and approachable first-person narration, this would be a great pick for reluctant readers." - Booklist